1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a package for transporting and displaying a knife having an exposed blade and, more particularly, to a package which is resistant to nicks, punctures, cuts and analogous damage caused by the exposed blade during transport and display.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Folding-blade knives of the type wherein a cutting blade is mounted on a handle for pivoting movement between closed and open positions in which the cutting edge of the blade is concealed and exposed respectively relative to the handle, and rigid-blade knives of the type wherein the cutting blade is stationarily mounted on the handle, have often been sold in a non-packaged, loose, bulk manner. This has not proven to be altogether satisfactory because there are self-evident safety risks involved in having a purchaser handle the knife. Yet, many knife purchasers desire to inspect the cutting edge of the blade prior to purchase.
Nevertheless, in order to reduce the safety risks involved in permitting the purchaser to manipulate the knife at the point of sale, and thereby possibly cut himself, it has heretofore been proposed to enclose a folding knife with the blade in the closed position in blister card packaging of the type having a backing card usually made of heavy grade paper, and a plastic bubble-type overlay which enwraps the closed folding knife. Although blister card packaging is generally satisfactory for its intended purpose of minimizing purchaser handling of the knife, it does not permit the purchaser to inspect the cutting blade because the blade is concealed within the handle of the closed folding knife and cannot be manipulated short of destroying the packaging.
The prior art has also proposed the placement of both folding-blade and rigid-blade knives in gift boxes usually having covers which pivot open to reveal the knife therein. Such boxed knives are shipped in the closed position because, otherwise, manufacturers have appreciated that the exposed blade could penetrate and do damage to the box itself, particularly during rough handling and transport. Such boxed knives may be displayed in either the open or closed position, and may be freely handled by the purchaser. Gift-boxed knives have proven undesirable because they do not reduce the above-described safety hazards. Also, because the knives are shipped in the closed position to prevent damage to the box, the knives are typically opened at the point of sale by either the purchaser or the retailer to permit inspection. This is time-consuming for the retailer, particularly when a large inventory of gift-boxed knives have to be opened prior to display.